All Morris School District schools will reopen for in-person classes on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, the district announced on Sunday.
Morristown High School, the Frelinghuysen Middle School and the Hillcrest Elementary School had remained all-virtual after the holiday break because of COVID-19 cases.
The district also shared survey results suggesting parents of K-5 generally approve of how the schools have handled remote learning during pandemic closures in November and December.
And the district announced a free webinar, at 11 a.m. Monday, about vaccinations for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Some survey findings:
Roughly 72 percent of English-speaking respondents were satisfied or very satisfied with their children’s virtual experience, with about 6 percent very dissatisfied. For Spanish-speaking respondents, the levels were about the same.
Roughly two-thirds of respondents felt the recent virtual experience was better than during the spring.
The most commonly heard request for improvements was for more virtual instruction in specialized subjects; the district said it plans to add some.
Parents expressed concerns with their kids’ ability to stay focused and engaged throughout the virtual school day.
Internet connectivity was a greater issue for the Spanish-speaking families; both groups cited managing childcare or supervision during the virtual day as their greatest challenge.
About 30 percent of English-speaking students have opted for all-virtual instruction. For families who responded in Spanish, it was 32 percent.
Some 555 families responded to the survey. Enrollment K-12 is approximately 5,700 students from Morristown, Morris Township and (for high school) Morris Plains.
Below is the district’s full statement, including a link to the survey.
From the Morris School District:
- We have been cleared by our local health departments to reopen Hillcrest, FMS, and MHS to in-person instruction tomorrow. New positive cases were confirmed throughout the district last week (MHS, FMS, SX, NPS, AH, and HC), and the individuals in question are completing the required 14-day quarantine at home. None of these cases had an impact on any of our schools. We continue to work closely with our local health departments and are grateful for their partnership and sound guidance.
- COVID-19 Vaccine Information. As you may know, NJ began the COVID-19 vaccine rollout in December. The first priority group (group 1A) includes healthcare workers, staff and residents in long-term care centers, and others in congregate care settings. Last week, Governor Murphy announced that police and firefighters could also begin receiving the vaccine. They are part of the second round, or group 1B, which also includes educators. Our local health departments are hopeful that NJ educators may begin vaccination sometime in February. This article gives an overview of NJ’s COVID-19 vaccine program. See also the following resources for vaccine information:
Anyone who wishes to pre-register to receive the vaccine when they are eligible may do so here: https://covidvaccine.nj.gov/.
- Webinar on Vaccines for Students with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Dr. David Adinaro will present a free webinar on COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) on Monday, Jan. 11, 2021, at 11 am. David Adinaro, MD, M.Eng, FACEP, is the New Jersey Department of Health’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Services. During his webinar, Dr. Adinaro will explain New Jersey’s plans for COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals with I/DD and their caregivers. He will be able to provide important information, including an anticipated timeframe of when and where the COVID-19 vaccine will be available. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR THE WEBINAR.
- K-5 Virtual Learning Survey. Thank you to our K-5 families for completing the survey prior to the December break; we received 555 responses. We appreciate your time and thought in reflecting on your child’s experiences. Your feedback helps us zero in on what needs further refinement as well as what has been most effective in the all-virtual environment. Please click here to view the survey results. We were very pleased to learn that over 70 percent of respondents were satisfied or very satisfied (score of 4 or 5) with the program overall, and that the clear majority of families felt their child’s experience during the November and December closures was better than in the spring. The most commonly articulated suggestion for further improvement was the delivery of special area subjects. We will be implementing some additions and adjustments to specials in the coming weeks and months to address this area of concern. Thank you again for your partnership.
- A special thank you to our nursing staff, who have been working nonstop since September to contact trace, manage COVID data, track positive cases, assess symptomatic students, field questions from our families and staff, and conduct follow-ups–in addition to all of their regular duties in our school buildings. We are grateful once more to the local health department for helping to coordinate vaccination for our nurses.
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